Chain and belt connector and holder



L. DEPEW. CHA-IN AND BELT CONNECTOR AND HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED OCT-15. I919.

Patented Oct 12, 1920.

LEWIS DEPEW, OF PHILLIPSBURG, NEW JERSEY.

CHAIN AND BELT CONNECTOR AND HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

Application filed October 15, 1919. Serial No. 330,811

To (ZZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, Lnwis DEPEW, citizen ofthe United States, residing at Phillipsbnrg. in the county of lVarrenand State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulimprovements in Chain and Belt Conner. tors and Holders, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to chain and belt connectors and holders and hasfor its object to provide a device of this character capable of beinginstantly applied to a chain to connect the ends of the same whenrepairs are being made.

Another object is to provide a device of this character that can beoperated at any angle to easily draw the severed ends toward each other.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter having a slidable member and a plurality of pins that are notonly used in the operation of the slidable member but for guiding thesame in its sliding movement.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in theimproved combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter moreparticularly described and fully claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of anembodiment of my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, the operating lever being shown in section.

'Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a U-shaped holding memberincluding parallel sides 6 and an end or bight portion 7 having anopening 8. Each side member has a plurality of openings 9 arranged inparallel rows in each marginal edge of said side, one row of each sidebeing positioned between the openings of the adjacent row in said sideand are intended to register with openings in the opposite side member.A connecting end plate 10 is provided and includes a pair of lugs 11projecting from the sides thereof and 21. central opening 12. The lugs11 are intended to be embedded in the openings 13 provided in the ends14L of the U-shaped member. A connecting hook 15 having an offset end 16projects through the end 7. the end 17 of said hook having a head 18. Anut 19 is carried by the end 17 and is positioned between the head 18and the end 7 of the U-shaped member. By this means the hook ispermitted to rotate in any direction so as to adjust itself during theoperation the device.

The operating mechanism of the device comprises U-shaped fnlcruir 20having a relatively broad bight portion 21, the sides of said memberbeing reduced as at th purpose of which will be hereinafter oil--plained. A lever 23 having a piurality of recesses 24 adjacent one endis fnlcrinned between the sides of the fulcrum 20 by means of a bolt 25.This lever is intended to be oscillated to raise the sliding fulcrumlongitudinally of the U-shaped member 5. A second connecting hook 26having an offset elongated end 27 is slidably disposed in the opening ofthe plate 10. The elongated end 27 extends through the bight portion 21of the fulcrum 20 and is provided with a head 28 to preventdisengagement of the hook, a nut 29 being carried on the hook betweenthe head 28 and the bight portion 21 to permit unobstructed movement ofthe hook. This hook like the hook 15 is permitted to rotate in anydirection to adjust itself during the operation of the device.

A plurality of operating and holding pins 30 are provided, each pincomprising a shank 31 and a finger piece or head 32. These pins areadapted to be disposed in the openings 9 of the U-shaped member 5 andare intended to be engaged by the lever 23 in the recess 24 thereof toprovide a pivot support for the lever in its oscillating movement.

In the operation of the device, when it is desired to tighten a chain orrepair a broken link, the hook 15 is engaged with one portion of thechain adjacent the link to be repaired, while the hook 26 is alsoengaged with a portion of the chain adjacent the link to be repaired. Inorder to overcome the strain of the broken link and to permit thesevered ends to be easily connected, the pins 30 are inserted in theopenings 9 beneath the lever 23, one pin at a time being inserted. V

The lever is then raised being supported by one of the pins 30 and whilein its raised position another pin is disposed in the opening above thefirst mentioned pin. The lever is then lowered and the first mentionedpin inserted in the opening above so that the pins are alternatelychanged in a step by step fashion to permit the fulcrum to be ablydisposed between and in engagement with the sides of the frame, the endportions of said member being off-set inwardly of said member andterminating in spaced parallel relation to each other and the sides ofthe frame, a lever pivoted adjacent one of its ends between saidoflisetend portions, a second connecting member freely mounted in thebight portion of the supporting member and extending through the otherend of the frame, and a pair of alternately changeable pins extendingthrough the sides of the frame, and'adapted to be engaged by the lever.

2. A device of the character described comprising a frame having aplurality of registering openings in its sides, a connecting memberfreely mounted in one end of the frame, a U-shaped supporting memberslidably disposed between and in engagement with the sides of the frame,the end portions of said member being off-set inwardly of said memberand terminating in spaced parallel relation to each other and the sidesof the frame, a lever pivoted adj acent one of its ends between saidoff-set end portions, a second connecting member freely mounted in thebight portion of the supporting member and extending through the otherend of the frame, and a pair of alternately changeable pins extendingthrough the sides of the frame, and adapted to be engaged by the lever,said changeable pins forming a guide for the supporting'member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

LEWIS DEPEW.

